Abstract: A garden pruner has a leaf spring 14 secured at its outer end to one of the handles (12a) and engaging the other handle (11a) at its inner end. A slider (15) on the one handle (12a) slidably engages the leaf spring and is movable to vary the length of the spring between the slider and the inner end of the spring and thereby vary the spring force and spring rate.

Abstract: The hand tool comprises two members, for example male and female blade members in the case of a garden pruner, each formed with a tang portion which extends within a handle. For locking the members in a closed position a catch pin unit is fitted to one of the handles; the unit comprises a catch button secured slidably to a mounting plate by engagement with a spring plate on the opposite side of the mounting plate. The spring plate has resilient fingers which hold the spring plate releasably in selected positions. A catch pin which engages in the catch button is movable thereby along a slot in the associated member into and out of a recess in the other member to lock or release the members.The members are releasably secured to the handles by a pivot bolt which passes through registering apertures in each member and associated handle. A recess in a said tang portion forms a seating for a stop cushion which extends to the surface of the handle through an opening in the handle above the recess.

Abstract: The hand tool comprises two members, for example male and female blade members in the case of a garden pruner, each formed with a tang portion which extends within a handle. For locking the members in a closed position, a catch pin is slidable in a slot of one member to engage a recess in the other member. The catch pin has enlarged head and foot portions which enable the pin to be inserted into an enlarged end portion of the slot before fitting the members together, and the overlap of the assembled members prevents movement of the pin into the enlarged slot portion after assembly, and so retains the pin in the slot.Mutually opposite recesses in the tang portions of the members assist in retaining the handles on such tang portions and form seatings for a barrel spring by which the handles are urged apart.

Abstract: A hand tool, for example a garden pruner, has two members movable together or apart by handles connected to the members, a first one of the members having a surface accurately located with respect to a corresponding surface of the other member. The first mentioned surface is formed on a first part of the member which, at an intermediate stage in the assembly of the tool, is supported for tilting movement on a second part of the member to allow said surfaces to be accurately located relative to each other, after which the first and second parts are rigidly secured together by fixing means. As an example the hand tool can be a garden pruner, the first member comprising an anvil and the other member a blade cooperative with the anvil.